Richard Herd From ‘T. J. Hooker’ Became A Radio Hall Of Famer Before Dying At 87

Every team needs a leader, and fortunately for the squad in William Shatner’s T. J. Hooker, Captain Dennis Sheridan was there, reporting for duty. Which, of course, also meant actor Richard Herd was on the case, and the cast couldn’t have asked for a better person to play the no-nonsense officer. But just as Captain Sheridan had plenty of experience under his belt, T. J. Hooker was just one part of the bigger story of Herd’s career.

Richard Herd was born on September 26, 1932, in Boston, Massachusetts. Heartbreak hit Herd’s family when his father, a train engineer, died while serving in World War II. On top of that, while a boy, Herd had been diagnosed with a bone infection called osteomyelitis. With potent loss hanging over him, Herd was drafted during the Korean War. Ultimately, he served in various branches until he served as a civilian actor and contributed to Army training videos.

What movies did Richard Herd star in?

When the ’70s came, they brought with it the start of his acting career in earnest. When he began, though, it was on New York theater stages. His very first film was 1970’s Hercules in New York (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) and he can also be seen in All the President’s Men. By ’79, he landed his first big movie role in The China Syndrome, alongside Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas, and Jack Lemmon. This gig earned Herd international fame.

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In the grand scheme of things, T. J. Hooker came right in the middle of Herd’s very long and busy career. Even before joining the squad room, he appeared in films such as Wolf Lake and Lovely But Deadly, as well as shows such as Kojak, The Rockford Files, Eight Is Enough, Starsky & Hutch, M*A*S*H, and Dallas.

Busy days, in all areas of life

Herd was a man of many talents within the acting world and without. After T. J. Hooker, his credits came to include everything from Star Trek: The Next Generation to Seinfeld in a role he maintained from ’95 to ’98. He’s been in more crime dramas like JAG and NYPD Blue and has lent his voice to video games. On top of that, he was a painter and sculptor, between playing a cult leader in Jordan Peele’s celebrated horror film, Get Out. Herd was also the recipient of the unique honor of induction into the National Broadcaster Hall of Fame, celebrating his work in Old Time Radio.

Just as Herd’s work schedule was busy, so too was his romance life. He was married three times: first to Amilda Cuddy, then Dolores Wozadlo, and finally Patricia Crowder, who he wed in 1980 and stayed with til death did they part. Along the way, he had two children, son Rick and daughter Erica Driggers. His family extends beyond that to two step-grandchildren as well.

Unfortunately, on May 26, 2020, Herd died of complications related to colon cancer. He was 87 when he passed and is survived by his wife of 40 years, both children, and his step-grandchildren.